Charles Davis was born at Lakeland, Parke County, Indiana, July 18, 1870, and was killed in an interurban crossing accident in Huntington County, July 7, 1925.

He received his early education in the rural schools of Parke County. Later he attended De Pauw University, Terre Haute Busines College, and Purdue University. He graduated from Purdue University in June, 1896, with the degree of Bachelor of Science in Agriculture. From the time of graduation from college until 1921 he was actively engaged in agricultural pursuits. To his farming he brought the knowledge gained in the class room and put it to practical use, thus demonstrating that it is possible to learn something about farming in school and from books.

During several years of the time he lived on the farm, he gave a part of his time in the winter months to lecturing at farmer's institutes. In September, 1921, Mr. Davis became a member of the Agronomy Department at Purdue University as an instructor in soils and crops for ex-service men under the Rehabilitation Service of the United States Government. As these ex-service men finished their allotted training, they set up practical farming for themselves, but the Government continued to give them the benefit of expert advice for a definite period. For the sixteen months previous to his death, Mr. Davis had been visiting these men in their new locations and advising with them how best to solve their problems and make their training successful. He was universally beloved by them and their expression of regret at his death was as of one who has lost a father.

Mr. Davis had the unique distinction of being the first graduate in Agriculture from Purdue University to have a son graduate from the same course, his son Samuel T., graduating in 1919. He was always interested in the work of his alma mater and kept in close touch with her advancement.

In science, as all farmers must be, he was interested in its many phases. As an instructor in soils and crops he was required to use a broad knowledge of the many sciences related to these subjects. He was a true scientist - conclusions were arrived at slowly and only after all the information was carefully weighed and tested.